NBA D-LEAGUE FINALS: TOROS AT STAMPEDE

We’ve had the announcer confuse Gross and Bowen so far, plus calling the Toros the Spurs. Which is nice, but a little too nice.

Of course, I shouldn’t say anything considering that whole “Utah” debacle the other night and that wwhole “Bergersen” debacle.

Timeout, 1st quarter, 17-14 Toros.

Ah, they have idiotic games for audience members in Boise, too. That’s good.

So far Bergersen is doing that cherry picking thing he was doing on Monday.

Bergersen hits a three out of the break, tie ball game. I hate that dude.

Ham goes for a looong jumper. I don’t know what year Darvin thought that was because he’s never had that shot.

Violette flashes in and gets the weakside cutting pass for the jam.

Paulino is feeling it. I think Kenton’s ready for the season to be over.

Violette misses another jumper. He’s got great range, but the Toros are giving him the 18 footer,just nothing shorter.

Barrett’s apparently feeling better, he just picked it and went coast.

Oh, they’re selling tickets for tomorrow night’s game. Ballsy.

(Tonight’s an elimination game for the Stampede, if you’re just joining us.)

Barrett still looks shakey, but Mahinmi looks much better.

Ham is struggling right now. Ellis is locking him off in the post

Mahinmi with the block, dish to Barrett, good for three! Money!

Petway just missed a jam. And a crap foul on Paulino who was just standing there and Petway came on top of him.

Bowen with a nice J. Austin “shooting the lights out” says the announcer.

Mahinmi is ready to go tonight. He’s killing them on defense.

Johnson comes in and goes to the rack!

We’re going to see hyper-squeaky!

The Stampede just threw it to a guy coming to check in from the bench. I am amused.

Austin 29, Idaho 23. Timeout 1st Quarter.

Someone tell the announcer guy I need time updates as often as he can!

By the way, if you want to follow along, you can watch this game over at www.d-league.com.

Ham not playing well. They’ve got him flummoxed.

Stampede trying to run on the Toros. They did this last game and they gassed themselves.

McRoberts decided tonight will be his 1 out 3 game where he plays like he knows how to play basketball. We’ll see if he makes it the whole game.

Violette comes out.

They’re not using Mahinmi in the post enough. McRoberts goes “around the backside” which means “over the back” and doesn’t get called. Yeah, I’m listening, announcer guy. I’m not letting your pro-Idaho bias get by tonight.

Bowen very aggressive, slices to the reverse. I like this kid. If he can improve his shooting, he can play.

Barrett gets the ridiculous roll! Barrett with 12 in the first! Step on the throat, Andre! You’re the pro!

33-27 after 1. Good game so far.

The big lineup for Gates is a gamble. I like it, and it’s effective, but they have to quit trying the break. Last game they ran out of all energy in the fourth because they were so damn tired. Gates is asking for too much. He can play big on the Toros, or he can play fast. He can’t do both. Bergersen should check back in shortly, and he’ll probably give them a lift (by not playing defense and cherry picking). Corey Violette is unquestionably a quality player. The D-League seems to be brimming over with talented big white guys with range. Makes sense why McRoberts is here. Except for the “talented” part.

Luke Jackson blocks Squeaky. Pick on someone your own size, hoosier!

They’ve got Jackson on Bowen. The Toros should exploit that.

Listen, Mr. Announcer guy. I don’t want to hear about moving screens from you. Your team might as well be the Stampede of Moving Screens. Okay that was weak. I’ll do better. That’s what she said.

One point game. Paulino’s shooting too much. Ellis is a monster this game. Bowen schooled Jackson (expected), and Ellis pulled perfectly to help, and threw it into the corner.

Oh, crap, we’re in the small lineup. McRoberts blocks Bowen. McRoberts, you can go back to sucking any time, now, kiddo.

Gross goes up for a monster dunk, draws the foul, and is limping. Gross almost always does thatOOoh, McRoberts undercut him. See, Petway, that’s how you undercut a guy.

And Quin Snyder has had quite enough of this McRoberts foolishness, and is sending Mahinmi after him. Mahinmi gets McRoberts’ second.

Toros have gone cold. What is it with teams I like and fast starts and cold streaks.

Oh, Announcer dude, don’t say it was over the back.

The refs are way out of line. There are massive fouls on both sides. If McRoberts or Mahinmi get hurt, there will be some angry execs tomorrow.

Mahinmi was looking for the big play, and let McRoberts dunk on him for the lead. Mahinmi, kill hthis honkey, please.

Or… Gross can try a turnaround. Sigh.

McRoberts is a small girl and gets up trying to get in Darvin Ham’s face after a foul. Josh, little new for you. Darvin Ham is not the guy you want to mess with.

34-all, 2nd quarter, and McRoberts at the line gives the Stampede it’s first lead since the beginning of the game.

The Toros are still cold. Ugh.

Well, this is interesting. The Toros are the Spurs’ D-League team, and yet the Stampede are the ones falling down for no apparent reason. Floppers.

Barrett needs to get them a quality shot.

37-34 Stampede.

McRoberts blocks Mahinmi! Who does this freak think he is? Is he aware that he sucks?

The Stampede are hammering the Toros and they’re letting them play. MAHINMI TELLS JOSH HI!

McRoberts goes to the bench, starters back in.

I’m getting a little sick of these no-calls. I’m not going to lie. They’re dangerous.

Five point lead for Idaho.

12-1 run by the Stampede.

Huge looseball foul goes no-called. Mahinmi gets foul on Violette.

Again, the Stampede are running way too much.

Pretty lob from Jackson to Violetteon the back side for the alley-oop. That was a nice pass by Jackson.

They found Violette covered by Barrett. BAD. Count it and one.

Petway with another nice pass.

44-37 Stampede. Toros playing terribly offensively and defensively

Okay, here’s an idea. If the Toros keep getting slapped on the hand and losing the ball, maybe it’s a foul. Just a thought.

Thank you , Mr. Announcer Guy. I appreciate you not calling Austin San Antonio. We have much better music, bars, and women.

Ham gets Randy Livingston’s third foul. Ham’s going to have to get tough if they want to win.

55-54 Stampede.

Petway gets undercut with Squeaky under him. Petway is feeling jumpy tonight. Violette just SHOVED Mahinmi and didn’t get a no-call. WHERE ARE YOU, ANNOUNCER MAN?

Ian gets the third on Ellis. Huge.

It’s a great strategy. Violette, Ellis, and Livingston all have three.

Mahinmi knocks them down from the stripe.

56-55 Toros.

Nice interior passing by the Stampede. Gates has coached them really well on that, because they’re not naturally disposed to it.

Ham goes to work on Violette who can’t get up in him because of the foul and hits the jumper.

Johnson’s cold tonight. Which is a shame, because he’s been so great lately.

Bergersen gives the Stampede the lead again. Back and forth. Whoever wins this third quarter wins the game, I think.

Bowen fires from too far. He’s got to realize his own range.

Bergersen is killing Johnson right now.

Bergersen will go to the line to make it a three point lead for Idaho after the timeout.

59-58 Stampede.

And he does.

61-58.

Oh, weak call. Bowen and Livingston both slam into each other and they called him with the foul.Home cooking calls are winning this game for the Stampede.

Toros have to make a push here, or this is going to be the game.

64-59 Idaho.

Ellis is battling. Really impressed with him in this series.

ANOTHER BLOCK BY MCROBERTS.

Toros having one of their patented meltdowns. Idaho lead is 6.

And another wild shot by Bowen. Ellis has 16 rebounds.

And Boom Tho was right by the way. The Austin dancers are way hotter. And by that I mean, they’re not grazing.

And Futurecast is freaking out on me. It’s in hyper-mode. “It’s gone PLAID!”

Angounou at the line. Can pull the Toros within 4. And does.

Mahinmi with the headfake! Foul on McRoberts! And one! Ian!

67-66 Toros!

Man, there are problems all over the place. Scorer’s computer is frozen, apparently. Futurecast is wigging out.

68-67 Stampede. This is a fantastic game, for how low-scoring it is.

Bowen missed the layup. Big miss.

Idaho can’t hit threes. At all tonight.

Randy Livingston is playing Barrett.

WHAT THE HELL? They knock it out of Andre’s hand, and they give it to the Stampede after looking at each other like “I don’t know, what did you see?” “I don’t know. Screw it. Give it to the home team.”

Gross and Bowen now have three fouls a piece. Ew. We’re going to see the tiny lineup.

Josh wearing the Trailblazers logo over his jersey, in anticipation of the last time he gets to wear it…

PAULINO ON THE BREAK, BREAKS LIVINGSTON’S ANKLE! COUNT IT AND THE FOUL!

Toros perfect from the stripe in the third.

Jackson flops. Jackson is a scourge on the game of basketball.

Gonna be a tie game going into the fourth. But guess what? That means the Toros won the quarter, suckers.

BARRETT CATCHES IT WITH FOUR SECONDS, DRIVES, AND SCORES! AUSTIN LEADS AFTER 3!

Announcer guy, seriously, I don’t care what you think.

Mahinmi with range! Four point lead for the Toros.

See, I could say Bergersen should be called for an intentional. But I’m not going to, announcer guy.